Sauces, conserves & preserves
Curtido
A fermented pickle hailing from central America that feels somewhere between a kimchi and a sauerkraut. Cabbage is at its core but there is some punchiness from the chillies and warming spice from the cumin. Fermentation can seem a bit intimidating, but it's all about making sure that you get the ratio of salt right; enough to prohibit harmful bacteria, while giving the lactic acid room to thrive and impart its distinctive savoury taste.
Cook's notes
Make sure your jars are properly clean before you use them. Lots of hot, soapy water and a good rinse followed by drying out in a low oven (140°C/Gas 1) for 10-15 mins, or a trip through a very hot dishwasher cycle. Makes 2 x ½ litre jars, or you could make a single batch in a 1 litre jar if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1 pointed cabbage
- 300g carrots
- 1 white onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 jalapeno peppers
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- fine sea salt (approx. 25g)
- 2 x ½ litre clean clip-top jars
Method
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Step 1
Weigh a large mixing bowl and note the weight - you’ll need it for a calculation in step 4.
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Step 2
Remove one of the outer leaves from the cabbage and keep it to one side. Halve the cabbage and cut away any tough central core with V-shaped cuts. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can and put it in the mixing bowl.
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Step 3
Peel and coarsely grate the carrots. Peel and finely slice the onion. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Thinly slice the jalapenos peppers. Add everything to the bowl, along with the oregano and cumin.
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Step 4
Now weigh the bowlful and subtract the weight of the bowl from the total, to give you the true weight of the mixture. You need to add 2% salt, or 2g for every 100g of mix. The easiest way to do this is to take the weight in grams and divide by 100. Now times that by 2 to give the amount of salt you need.
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Step 5
Add the correct amount of salt to the bowl. Get your clean hands in and give it a good mix and massage for a few mins, working the salt into the cabbage as best you can. Leave to sit for 20 mins to give the salt time to draw liquid from the mix.
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Step 6
Now pack the mixture tightly into the clip-top jars, along with any liquid in the bowl. Place a piece of leaf on top to help keep the mix submerged. The liquid should cover the mix completely. If there isn't enough liquid, make a 2% brine (2g salt mixed into every 100g/ml of water) and add enough to cover.
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Step 7
Keep at room temperature in a dark corner for a week. You may need to unclip the jars occasionally to 'burp' any pressure building up inside, depending on the jars you are using. A pop as you open the lid is a clear indication of fermentation, alongside a sour/pickled smell. You may see discolouration on the cabbage leaves, but excessive mould or an unpleasant smell indicate that things haven’t gone well, and the batch should be discarded. It's a good idea to keep the jars on a tray or in a tub to catch any liquid that escapes during fermentation.
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Step 8
After a week, they should have a distinct pickled taste and be ready to transfer to the fridge. For a stronger and deeper taste, you can ferment for a further week or so if you like. Remove and discard the cabbage leaves once ready. The curtido will store in the fridge and be usable for a month or so, and may need the occasional burp. You can decant them into smaller sterile jars if you want to share your achievements.